
Still shot from a video of a Hoover High School football practice on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.
Families of two Hoover High School football players upset over treatment of their sons at recent football practices said the resignations of the head coach and defense coordinator do not resolve the matter, their attorneys said in a statement Tuesday.
Head coach Drew Gilmer and defensive coordinator Adam Helms had their resignations accepted by the Hoover Board of Education on Thursday.
“The family, while encouraged by this news, in no way accept the resignations as resolution for the damages suffered by the two high school football players at the hands of Gilmer and Helms,” attorneys Juandalynn Givan and Reginald McDaniel said in a written statement. “Both families are still shocked, angry, frustrated and emotionally distraught as their lives have been tortured with this interruption of what should be a happy time for their children returning to school and playing the sport they loved.”
The mothers of the two football players issued a joint statement that “our enjoyment of life as a family is forever changed for the worse, and the emotional and mental scars will never heal, and our children will never be made whole.”
Givan and McDaniel said the resignations fall short of what should have been “a swift and decisive termination action,
considering the overwhelming evidence of the excessive physical abuse and potential sexual misconduct by Gilmer and Helms in these egregious incidents.”
“We are deeply disappointed by the lack of urgency and seriousness with which the Hoover City Schools Board of Education has handled this matter,” Givan said. “This is a disgrace to our education system and a betrayal of the trust that parents place in our schools to protect their children.”
McDaniel added that “the students impacted by these heinous and subversive acts deserve justice, and we will ensure that their voices are heard. It is unacceptable that the response to such a perverted breach of safety and trust was to allow these individuals to quietly step down, rather than face the consequences of their actions.”
Other parents from Jefferson County schools have begun to come forward with additional allegations dating back to when Gilmer was the head coach at Clay-Chalkville High School, the attorneys said.
“These revelations suggest a troubling pattern of behavior that may have gone unchecked for years,” the statement said. “Obviously, the Hoover Board of Education failed to perform a quality background and personnel investigation before hiring Helms, particularly as his abusive behavior was well known in the community and by his former employer at Clay-Chalkville. Hoover rushed to hire Gilmer because of his winning record on the field and failed the students who had been subjected to physically disturbing abuse by Gilmer and Helms.”
Givan said the education system is supposed to be a safe haven for children, where they can grow and learn without fear of harm.
“The fact that such incidents have occurred under the watch of an educator is not only disturbing, but also a call to action for all of us to ensure that justice is served and that these acts are never repeated,” Givan said in the statement. “The disruption of life continues for the students who now find themselves faced with unforeseen decisions regarding their education and safety. The family is exploring all legal actions and thank those in the community who have supported them during the family crisis. The family asks for privacy as they navigate the future of the family and children.”McDaniel on Monday said the Hoover Board of Education has not contacted the families’ attorneys to try to resolve or address the families’ concerns.
An Aug. 2 practice video that circulated nationally showed a coach appear to pull a player’s head to his groin and thrust his hips toward the player’s face. Another video that McDaniel said was taken the following Monday, Aug. 5, shows a coach charging across the field during a practice drill, grabbing a player's facemask and ripping the helmet off the player as the player falls to the ground.
Attorneys said both players have been teased and humiliated by their peers as a result of the coaches’ actions.
Hoover schools Superintendent Kevin Maddox issued a statement after the school board voted to accept the coaches’ resignations.
“The safety and well-being of our students and staff continue to be our top priorities,” Maddox wrote. “We maintain high expectations for our employees and students. At this time, our focus is dedicated to supporting our football players and coaching staff.”
School board members were advised by an attorney not to comment further or answer questions about the matter due to the potential for litigation.